How video will transform your business in 2018

How video will transform your business in 2018

Video marketing has picked up pace over the last couple of years – but there are still lots of people waiting to make the jump to this ‘next generation’ of marketing.

“People like pictures, people like emails!” – sure, but all that will pale into insignificance when you begin to see how people will respond when you start shooting great video content.

It’s not just for hardcore marketers either, web design companies based in Glasgow such as Think Zap are also now using engaging video content as a way to reach their audience across multiple channels.

The power of Google

Google loves video – and that love is only likely to increase into 2018.

Google’s algorithms are exceptionally complex and very well guarded – but what we do know is this: Google recognises the power and informative nature of video. This means that if your website has embedded video, you’re likely to be favoured from a Google site ranking point of view.

In bare basic terms; showing up closer to the top result for your chosen search term.

This is especially true as Google increasingly returns results for searches from across a variety of mediums. Notice how you’re getting image and video results returned now rather than just site listings? You’ll only get listed if you’ve got the video to show.

Google also acknowledges the amount of time a person spends on your page when deciding how relevant you are in relation to the search it’s suggested you for. The more time spent – the more relevant you must be – the more relevant you are, the more confidence Google places in your page.

What’s more (as if you needed more persuasion…) – there aren’t many people jumping on this opportunity yet. Start talking to your marketing and search engine optimisation people about this early and you’re going to have one-up on your competitors soon after…

Video creates trust

Without trust your marketing and sales will go nowhere.

Whether that’s the kind of short-term trust that says “I just need to know my order will be fulfilled” – or the kind of long-term trust that wins big money contracts and clients, trust is absolutely key if you’re going to grow your business.

The great news is, video builds trust faster and more effectively than any other digital medium.

The reason really comes down to people – and our ability to read their intentions. It can be difficult to gauge a person’s tone when we’re just reading email. As is often quoted, only 7% of a person’s intended communication is done through the words we use, with the 93% remaining being conveyed through tone and body language.

It’s not until we’ve got close to 100% communication that we can accurately decide on whether or not we trust this person – now you just need to make sure your salespeople are operating with the right intention!

Brand recognition and awareness

In 2016 a major international airline ran some insightful tests on their customers.

Rather than having a real people present their in-flight emergency procedures – they played video to the passengers instead. When subsequently asked to recall those procedures, the airline saw an 80% increase in recollection – versus traditional attendant speech and arm-signalling.

Now, we’re not suggesting you replace your people with video – we already know that there’s no substitute for human interaction when it comes to supporting a purchase, but, this example does show a major hike in a customer’s ability to recall information when it’s been presented in a format they want to consume.

So, if you want people to recall you, your product, your brand or your latest campaign – then showing them video seems to be the primary route you’ll want to explore…

Video increases your conversions

Trust, awareness and Google.

We’ve just covered this online marketing holy-trinity in our first 3 points – so now’s the time to tell you what that adds up to:

Money.

Quite simple really. Those things add up to cash on the bottom line because each one has an impact on your conversion rates. Combine them and you’re rocketing skyward.

More people coming to your site from Google? Better conversions, more money. Customers who know you provide what you say you’re going to provide? Better trust, more conversions – more money. An increased awareness of your brand that trumps your competitors? More customers, increased conversions – more money.

Make your team’s life easy

An increasing number of companies are moving to video as one of their primary means of communication – and moving in the same direction could save your team time and headaches during 2018.

How many times have you sat in front of your computer and written email, then re-written the same email – taking time to make sure you’re getting the right tone and that your message comes across in exactly the right way.

Do you chuck an emoji in to let them know you’re being light-hearted? Surely that would look unprofessional… or would it? Do they know you well enough to be sure they’d understand your intention? How do you sign-off without looking too formal?

All these questions – and more – go straight out the window when you’re shooting quick and concise video. Oh – and your HR team will love you for it too – no more misconstrued emails causing problems between departments!

Video is perfect for mobile users

Consuming media on our mobile phones isn’t (despite what you might read elsewhere) making us more tolerant of screens full of text and image – it’s just causing us to adapt the way we consume.

And by that, I mean skimming. We now skim read virtually everything – before going back should we get the sense that the article we’re reading is going to answer the questions we have.

Video slows this process down. It’s stimulating enough for us to be engrossed and not just dragging the progress bar forward – which means we take in MUCH more than we would if we were reading the same information.

More and more people are accessing the net on their small screen phones. Not ideal for reading – but absolutely perfect for watching video. If you want your product and people in front of consumers, you’re going to need to give them the information in the format they want…

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